Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), which handles non-governmental cross-strait exchanges, has disclosed that three Taiwanese high-tech industry workers have had their personal freedom restricted after travelling to mainland China this year. One had only been scheduled to make a three-day business trip as a last-minute replacement for a colleague. The SEF urged Taiwanese people to carefully assess the risks of travelling to the mainland, stressing that they should “avoid places where their safety is at risk”.
According to reports by Taiwan’s Tai Sounds (《太报》) and Radio Taiwan International, SEF vice-chairman and secretary-general Lo Wen-jia told a background briefing on Friday (13 November) that recent cases have involved Taiwanese tech workers being questioned, held or even arrested during short work trips to the mainland. Previously, cases more commonly involved people engaged in religious activities, publishing and civic activism.
Lo said all three were Taiwanese employees of Taiwanese or foreign companies and had not taken part in political or religious activities. One had not originally been scheduled to travel for work but stepped in when a colleague had a last-minute commitment. The trip was meant to last just three days, but the employee’s personal freedom was restricted. The employee had not visited the mainland for eight years.
He said the fact that even a straightforward, short business trip could result in restrictions on personal freedom showed that ordinary company employees also faced unpredictable risks when travelling to the mainland.
Lo said some of those held or arrested did not even know the specific reasons, while their families and companies also struggled to find out what was happening. Some were told only after being held for a period that they might be suspected of offences involving national security or other matters, and were subsequently arrested or prosecuted.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng told lawmakers at the Legislative Yuan on Thursday (12 November) that three Taiwanese high-tech professionals had been barred from returning to Taiwan after travelling to the mainland since February this year.
Mainland China implemented the State Council’s Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration on 15 September. These explicitly allow the relevant authorities to bar Chinese citizens from leaving the country if they violate rules on export controls or the administration of technology imports and exports in ways that could endanger national industrial or technological security. In circumstances that could affect national security or criminal investigations, the authorities may also withhold advance written notification of the reasons and grounds for an exit ban.
The Mainland Affairs Council previously said the regulations could increase the risks for Taiwanese residents travelling to the mainland. Lo noted, however, that at least one case involving restrictions on a Taiwanese tech worker’s freedom occurred in late August, before the new rules took effect.
He also cited a case involving a Taiwanese tour group visiting the mainland. All the other members returned safely to Taiwan, but one traveller was held and has yet to return.
Lo stressed that most Taiwanese people who visit the mainland return safely. However, these cases showed that even ordinary company employees who had not taken part in political activities could face unpredictable risks. He urged people to carefully assess whether they needed to travel to the mainland and to “keep their distance to stay safe”.
